English 680V: Visual Rhetoric in a Technological Age (Purdue)

Here's a terrific set of prototype logos for the Chameleon Federation, which is a project on digital publishing that networks a growing number of universities around the world. Sponsored by Hewlett-Packard, the group shares ideas and resources on a wide range of subjects, such as variable data printing, print on demand, document tagging, pre- and post-PDF production, imaging, and more. Purdue is a founding member. We're in the process of choosing a logo.

Students in an advanced typography course at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo produced these prototypes of a logo:

http://www.lawlervideos.com/ChameleonLogos/index.html

What's the rhetorical function of a logo? How would you analyze a logo as part of a rhetorical situation?

Please don't judge any of these logos here, but do click through the slide show to get a good idea of the many approaches possible.